Looking at the schedule England have virtually no chance of getting to the final.
Our likely route is as follows:
DR Congo
Mexico
Brazil
Argentina
The way we have been performing so far I'm thinking we are out by Mexico. The manager in his tutonic wisdom left out half of our squad including Harry Maguire, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Jack Grealish, Danny Welbeck, Morgan Gibbs-White, to name a few.
Without Maguire, we have no one who is a consistent threat at our corners. Without Trent England have no dangerous free kick taker. He's picked players who have hardly played for their clubs, are on bad form and played them out of position. Germans are usually credited with being organised and disciplined, this German is not!
While I want to be wrong I cannot see it changing. We will join Scotland in two matches and sack this coach who should never have been appointed.
Quote from: Nick Bateman on June 28, 2026, 02:51:33 PMLooking at the schedule England have virtually no chance of getting to the final.
Our likely route is as follows:
DR Congo
Mexico
Brazil
Argentina
The way we have been performing so far I'm thinking we are out by Mexico. The manager in his tutonic wisdom left out half of our squad including Harry Maguire, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Jack Grealish, Danny Welbeck, Morgan Gibbs-White, to name a few.
Without Maguire, we have no one who is a consistent threat at our corners. Without Trent England have no dangerous free kick taker. He's picked players who have hardly played for their clubs, are on bad form and played them out of position. Germans are usually credited with being organised and disciplined, this German is not!
While I want to be wrong I cannot see it changing. We will join Scotland in two matches and sack this coach who should never have been appointed.
Are you saying that Rice is not a dangerous free kick taker?
I'm really beginning to think that you want England to to fail , to prove a point, why do you keep saying "the German" why on earth can't you use his name.
On a Neutral ground, England should win, but to Beat Mexico in Mexico, that is a huge ask, I think Mexico will beat Harry Kane and his bandidos.
Will be a fascinating game though, and I love the atmosphere at the Mexico based Games so far.
Racist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
Fellas, just ignore Nick's xenophobic rants.
He only does it to get a rise from everyone. It's not worth your time.
And he can't even spell "Teutonic".
Quote from: alfie on June 28, 2026, 03:00:36 PMAre you saying that Rice is not a dangerous free kick taker?
I'm really beginning to think that you want England to to fail , to prove a point, why do you keep saying "the German" why on earth can't you use his name.
Yes, Rice is not a dangerous free kick taker. He is probably a 1 in 10, while Trent is a 1 in 2.
As I said I want to be wrong but perhaps you've seen something I didn't see enough so far. I was warmed by the second half performance in the Crotia match, but since then England have got worse. I'd love England to win all those imposing matches and cheer us through but realistically it seems a hopeless cause.
And if I choose not to refer the German by his name, that's my choice! I refuse to call Thomas Tuchel by his name. Oh crap!!
Quote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
Germans are not a race and I am not a racist, but you are an easily-offended twerp!
Quote from: Steeeeeeeeeed on June 28, 2026, 03:12:25 PMOn a Neutral ground, England should win, but to Beat Mexico in Mexico, that is a huge ask, I think Mexico will beat Harry Kane and his bandidos.
Will be a fascinating game though, and I love the atmosphere at the Mexico based Games so far.
Regrettably it is the atmosphere (literally) that might beat us. The ground is at high altitude with a rarified atmosphere.
Quote from: Steeeeeeeeeed on June 28, 2026, 03:12:25 PMOn a Neutral ground, England should win, but to Beat Mexico in Mexico, that is a huge ask, I think Mexico will beat Harry Kane and his bandidos.
Will be a fascinating game though, and I love the atmosphere at the Mexico based Games so far.
They've been jammy the Mexicans theyre first 2 games they were pants but got lucky, I live in LA and the Mexicans think they've won the World Cup already, personally I think theyre bang average and England can definitely beat them
The home advantage is all the have and the fact they haven't had to travel anywhere has made life very easy for them
Quote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
He might be going round the bend,but I don't think he's racist,there has been worse remarks on the forum about others and their countries.
Just to clear up Bateman knows nothing about footie (even writing footie makes my skin crawl)...
Alexander Arnold has scored from 6 direct free kicks in the Premier league. In 259 games. I doubt he only took 12 free kicks, seeing as he was main set piece taker for at least 4 seasons. So the one in two claim by Bateman is wrong.
Ps Mexico have only lost 2 out of 66 Internationals at the azteca, the best home record of any international country....
Quote from: Coastwalker on June 28, 2026, 04:47:23 PMQuote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
He might be going round the bend,but I don't think he's racist,there has been worse remarks on the forum about others and their countries.
True but the Scots do wind me up with their nonsense!
Quote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
is this the same Twig who announced on here
that he was blocking him, or are you a Doppelganger.
Quote from: john dempsey on June 28, 2026, 07:43:49 PMQuote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
I blocked him but I still see the replies to his posts when I'm stupid enough to open a thread he has started.
is this the same Twig who announced on here
that he was blocking him, or are you a Doppelganger.
Quote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 08:14:20 PMQuote from: john dempsey on June 28, 2026, 07:43:49 PMQuote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
I blocked him but I still see the replies to his posts when I'm stupid enough to open a thread he has started.
is this the same Twig who announced on here
that he was blocking him, or are you a Doppelganger.
Go back in your cancel culture cocoon and don't blight my fair minded inoffensive posts.
Your stupidity is no reason to launch an
Ad Hominem attack, maybe you need to
learn some self control.
:welcome1:
Quote from: Coastwalker on June 28, 2026, 04:47:23 PMQuote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
He might be going round the bend,but I don't think he's racist,there has been worse remarks on the forum about others and their countries.
Some of us have been on here long enough to remember what he said about Seri & Anguissa a few years ago now and that was outright racist
Just think that we could have come second and had the easier run in of Portugal, Spain, USA, France.
Quote from: F(f)CUK on June 28, 2026, 10:59:06 PMJust think that we could have come second and had the easier run in of Portugal, Spain, USA, France.
Ecuador could Mexico if what Perry said about them is the case and its not beyond the pale that England could beat Ecuador. Also this is not a great Brazil and the "best" Japan could cause an upset, again making England's path less daunting.
Quote from: Eton White on June 28, 2026, 03:58:06 PMFellas, just ignore Nick's xenophobic rants.
He only does it to get a rise from everyone. It's not worth your time.
And he can't even spell "Teutonic".
I liked the addition of a spell checker on this forum. Surprised it allowed my mistype of Teutonic through. Still nobody is perfect not even me and my predictions.
Quote from: Nick Bateman on June 29, 2026, 12:50:08 AMQuote from: Eton White on June 28, 2026, 03:58:06 PMFellas, just ignore Nick's xenophobic rants.
He only does it to get a rise from everyone. It's not worth your time.
And he can't even spell "Teutonic".
I liked the addition of a spell checker on this forum. Surprised it allowed my mistype of Teutonic through. Still nobody is perfect not even me and my predictions.
Just carry on being imperfect Nick. And by the way, I enjoy two gins with my two tonics.
Quote from: Jim© on June 28, 2026, 06:11:35 PMJust to clear up Bateman knows nothing about footie (even writing footie makes my skin crawl)...
Alexander Arnold has scored from 6 direct free kicks in the Premier league. In 259 games. I doubt he only took 12 free kicks, seeing as he was main set piece taker for at least 4 seasons. So the one in two claim by Bateman is wrong.
Ps Mexico have only lost 2 out of 66 Internationals at the azteca, the best home record of any international country....
So, having moved on from letting our fingers do the walking, we now let them do the typing, and with that new game in town, AI to it's friends, it is quite good at settling disputed of facts (most of the time anyways when it doesn't hallucinate that is!).
So, I asked the question:
"how many free kicks has Alexander Arnold taken in the last 10 years, and how many has he scored a direct goal from?"
Here's the response:
Over the last 10 years, Trent Alexander-Arnold has taken approximately 80 to 90 shots directly from free kicks across all major club competitions and has scored 8 direct free-kick goals.
Free-Kick Performance BreakdownBecause official football databases primarily log "shots from free kicks" rather than cross-type free kicks, his exact direct shot attempts fluctuate depending on the tracking provider, though his conversion efficiency remains highly regarded:
Direct Free Kick Goals: He has scored 8 goals across all senior competitions.
Domestic Leagues: He scored 6 free-kick goals in the Premier League for Liverpool F.C., where his historical conversion rate hovers right around 9%.
European Competitions: He scored 2 additional goals from direct free kicks in the UEFA Champions League against Hoffenheim (2017) and Rangers (2022).
Following his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid, he has continued to share dead-ball duties.
List of Direct Free-Kick Goals
| Opponent | Competition | Date / Season |
| Hoffenheim | UEFA Champions League | August 15, 2017 |
| Watford | Premier League | November 24, 2018 |
| Crystal Palace | Premier League | June 24, 2020 |
| Chelsea | Premier League | July 22, 2020 |
| West Ham United | Premier League | November 7, 2021 |
| Rangers | UEFA Champions League | October 4, 2022 |
| Manchester City | FA Community Shield | July 30, 2022 |
| Fulham | Premier League | April 21, 2024 |
When comparing him to other English players, here are the results:
Trent Alexander-Arnold's direct free-kick conversion rate sits right around 9% across his career, which places him comfortably above the modern Premier League average of roughly 5%. However, when stacked against other elite, active English set-piece specialists, he falls behind the country's most hyper-efficient dead-ball masters.
| Player | Conversion Rate | Notable Stat / Status |
| James Maddison | ~25.8% | Highest peak conversion metric over a 30+ attempt sample size. |
| James Ward-Prowse | ~19.5% – 21.4% | The modern benchmark; has scored 15+ goals over recent years. |
| Kieran Trippier | ~16.0% | Possesses the finest elite conversion record among England's full-backs. |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | ~9.0% | Highly prolific volume-shooter who beats the 5% league average. |
| Harry Kane | < 3.0% | Notoriously inefficient despite taking high-volume attempts for club and country. |
Key Analytical TakeawaysThe Elite Specialists (Ward-Prowse & Maddison): James Ward-Prowse uses a highly disciplined biomechanical routine, giving him an astonishing conversion rate that near-doubles Trent's efficiency. James Maddison boasts a higher peak conversion percentage, but from a significantly smaller total volume of shots.
The Full-Back Comparison (Trippier): Within his tactical position, Kieran Trippier is statistically much sharper. Trippier's lower volume but high clinical accuracy yielded a 16% conversion rate, making him England's most lethal option from tight, short-range angles.
Volume vs. Efficiency: Alexander-Arnold's lower percentage is partly due to his range. He is frequently trusted to fire shots from much further out (25–35 yards), whereas players like Ward-Prowse or Maddison focus heavily on highly optimal positions just outside the 18-yard box.
Disclaimer: These results have not been verified by independent additional analysis
Never mind the German's England, the German's Germany are out !
Poor old Nagelsmann, he looked distraught at the end 😩
Master Bateman hoisted his own petard ::wink::
Community note:
Nick Bateman and others are currently serving a one-week ban. While some replies to Nick may be tongue-in-cheek, please do not take advantage of his inability to respond.
Quote from: love4ffc on June 30, 2026, 01:51:22 AMCommunity note:
Nick Bateman and others are currently serving a one-week ban. While some replies to Nick may be tongue-in-cheek, please do not take advantage of his inability to respond.
Bit unfair to Name Nick and not the others.
Was it 2 yellows or straight Red.
Quote from: john dempsey on June 30, 2026, 10:31:04 AMQuote from: love4ffc on June 30, 2026, 01:51:22 AMCommunity note:
Nick Bateman and others are currently serving a one-week ban. While some replies to Nick may be tongue-in-cheek, please do not take advantage of his inability to respond.
Bit unfair to Name Nick and not the others.
Was it 2 yellows or straight Red.
Naming Nick and not the others is persecution, if they are banned for the same offence
Name all or none.
I apologize for naming only Nick. It is unfair. My sole purpose was to prevent others from attacking him while he could not respond.
Quote from: love4ffc on July 01, 2026, 01:30:31 AMI apologize for naming only Nick. It is unfair. My sole purpose was to prevent others from attacking him while he could not respond.
I would have thought most people could see that's what you meant, particularly seeing as he was the OP so is the one most likely to get responses to it. ::thumb::
Quote from: Eton White on July 01, 2026, 07:31:04 AMQuote from: love4ffc on July 01, 2026, 01:30:31 AMI apologize for naming only Nick. It is unfair. My sole purpose was to prevent others from attacking him while he could not respond.
I would have thought most people could see that's what you meant, particularly seeing as he was the OP so is the one most likely to get responses to it. ::thumb::
In the circumstances with Nick being at the heart of the thread would it not have been better to suspend the thread for a week (by which time it would have died naturally anyway)?
Quote from: Coastwalker on June 28, 2026, 04:47:23 PMQuote from: Twig on June 28, 2026, 03:58:02 PMRacist idiot. Threads like this should be banned imo.
He might be going round the bend,but I don't think he's racist,there has been worse remarks on the forum about others and their countries.
Quote from: perry geyton on June 28, 2026, 04:21:38 PMQuote from: Steeeeeeeeeed on June 28, 2026, 03:12:25 PMOn a Neutral ground, England should win, but to Beat Mexico in Mexico, that is a huge ask, I think Mexico will beat Harry Kane and his bandidos.
Will be a fascinating game though, and I love the atmosphere at the Mexico based Games so far.
They've been jammy the Mexicans theyre first 2 games they were pants but got lucky, I live in LA and the Mexicans think they've won the World Cup already, personally I think theyre bang average and England can definitely beat them
The home advantage is all the have and the fact they haven't had to travel anywhere has made life very easy for them
Shades of 1966?
It's all on the day and we have to beat Congo first before we face Mexico.
Quote from: Eton White on July 01, 2026, 07:31:04 AMQuote from: love4ffc on July 01, 2026, 01:30:31 AMI apologize for naming only Nick. It is unfair. My sole purpose was to prevent others from attacking him while he could not respond.
I would have thought most people could see that's what you meant, particularly seeing as he was the OP so is the one most likely to get responses to it. ::thumb::
Seems you are incapable of taking your own advice,
regarding Nicks post.
Quote from: john dempsey on July 01, 2026, 10:13:47 AMQuote from: Eton White on July 01, 2026, 07:31:04 AMQuote from: love4ffc on July 01, 2026, 01:30:31 AMI apologize for naming only Nick. It is unfair. My sole purpose was to prevent others from attacking him while he could not respond.
I would have thought most people could see that's what you meant, particularly seeing as he was the OP so is the one most likely to get responses to it. ::thumb::
Seems you are incapable of taking your own advice,
regarding Nicks post.
I'm not commenting on Nick's post. I'm commenting on the Mod's post.
What's your issue?
Quote from: Eton White on June 28, 2026, 03:58:06 PMFellas, just ignore Nick's xenophobic rants.
He only does it to get a rise from everyone. It's not worth your time.
Sorry i thought this was you,
must be another Eton White.
Quote from: john dempsey on July 01, 2026, 12:09:32 PMQuote from: Eton White on June 28, 2026, 03:58:06 PMFellas, just ignore Nick's xenophobic rants.
He only does it to get a rise from everyone. It's not worth your time.
Sorry i thought this was you,
must be another Eton White.
Read my last post. Which part of it did you not understand?
But I appreciate the apology.
I did read your last post you seem obsessed
with Nick.
Quote from: john dempsey on July 01, 2026, 12:27:27 PMI did read your last post you seem obsessed
with Nick.
Says his number one fan boy! :slap:
Thanks for the amusing chat. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day.
Oh! Here we go always love it when
you put those silly juvenille Gifs,
on your own post.
::scarf::
Come on chaps ... lets all get along ....
Remember who the real enemy are .... Splitters !!!
::thumb::